MATING AND BREEDING California sea lions breed around May to June. Even though they have fearsome canine teeth (used primarily to grab fish), sea lions typically swallow their food whole.
It is common to see California sea lions inside Puget Sound and Seattle's Elliott Bay during fall months when salmon have returned to spawn.ĭIET AND HUNTING California sea lions feed on more than 50 species of seafood, mainly squid and fish. Once the breeding season is over, they will often gather at marinas and wharves. These highly intelligent and social mammals breed in large colonies on offshore island rookeries such as California’s Channel Islands. RANGE AND HABITAT The California sea lion resides along the Pacific Coast mainly in the waters of central Mexico and California where they breed, but in non-breeding season can be found as far north as Vancouver Island, Canada. but use their nails on the back flippers for grooming their coats. They have no claws on their fore flippers. Able to rotate their hind flippers for locomotion on land, sea lions are quite are nimble and can gallop onshore. LOCOMOTION Graceful and acrobatic in the water, sea lions propel themselves through the water with large, wing-like fore flippers, usimg their hind flippers and tail for steering. Sea lions have sleek torpedo-like bodies and are powerful swimmers. Sea lions molt (shed their hair) every year after breeding season. Adult females are a lighter golden color. As adult males age, their heads become light tan. Males are a chocolate brown, females are tan to golden brown.The coat darkens to almost black when wet. Unlike harbor seals and other true seals, California sea lions have external ear flaps and long, dog-like muzzles. Females do not exhibit this, having lower and smaller foreheads. Males can reach a size up to 8 feet long and 700-1,000 lbs.įemales are smaller, reaching 6.5 ft long and up to 240 lbs.Īdult males grow a large bump of bone on the top of their heads, known as a sagittal crest, as they reach sexual maturity.